CRUSADERS 38 MOANA PASIFIKA 21
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FULLTIME
80min - CRUSADERS TRY - HEINZ
Nanai frees his arms up to offload to McLeod and send him free down the left wing! He's got Heinz in the support and makes no mistake to send the halfback over for the try.
78min - Springer is CRUNCHED in a tackle by Leuila and is bundled into touch. The Crusaders winger took that shot very well all things considered.
76min - Tavatavanawai bounces out of a tackle, before Moana Pasifika look to spread the ball. The replacement makes a break but Faiilagi can't bring in the pass! He was in for all money.
74min - Burke makes another break, but Moana Pasifika do well to cut him down and then win the breakdown penalty. You cannot fault their effort on defence.
72min - Another unforced error sets up a potential Moana Pasifika counter-attack, but they are awarded the penalty instead for the high tackle.
70min - Crusaders looking good to add to their try tally this half, but an unforced error sees Moana Pasifika clear up near their own 10m.
68min - All starting to unravel for Moana Pasifika, as another scrum penalty goes against them. Been the story of their season really. Crusaders will have another attacking lineout.
66min - Crusaders doing well to slow Moana Pasifika's ball at the breakdown, before winning the ruck penalty and finding touch for the the lineout.
64min - Confusion at the restart for the Crusaders as Gardiner knocks on, giving Moana Pasifika an attacking platform to launch from their scrum.
62min - CRUSADERS TRY - MCLEOD
Burke takes the box kick superbly well under heavy pressure, frees up Springer before a return pass to his fullback and he fires McLeod over for the try!
60min - Crusaders penalised for not rolling away and Moana Pasifika point to the poles to try and level the scores. McClutchie lines up the kick but he misses!
58min - Moana Pasifika again make a meal of their own lineout and allow the Crusaders to bounce on the loose ball and Heinz clears.
56min - Crusaders steal the lineout and quickly spread it, but Tavatavanawai is quickly onto his opposite and tackles him well, before Moana Pasifika win the breakdown penalty.
54min - Burke kicks long but only finds Havili and he returns it well, taking Moana Pasifika inside the Crusaders own 10m. Faiilagi makes a nice run down the right wing.
52min - CRUSADERS TRY - GARDINER
McClutchie's kick doesn't find touch and the Crusaders can counter. Mo'unga kicks across field, the bounce is a kind one for Springer, and he sends Gardiner over for the try!
50min - Crusaders again pile the pressure on at the scrum, but no penalty this time. Crusaders look to spread it but Taylor knocks on the pass behind him. Moana Pasifika are elated.
48min - Crusaders put the shove on and have another advantage. They just can't quite breach the defence and we'll come back for another penalty. Gutsty from Moana Pasifika.
46min - A strong carry sees the Crusaders drive their way into the Moana Pasifika 22m, and they win the offside penalty. They tap and they're just a metre out! Another penalty and the referee sends Curry to the sin bin.
44min - Crusaders show their experience at the scrum to win the penalty almost immediately and Mo'unga finds touch for promising field position.
42min - Crusaders look to pop a short ball in the midfield but can't hang onto the pass, and Moana Pasifika win the scrum around halfway.
HALFTIME
40min - McClutchie takes his time with the kick and he nails it. We have just enough time for the restart, and Moana Pasifika gather it in and kick it out. What a half!
38min - MOANA PASIFIKA TRY - TAVATAVANAWAI
Moana Pasifika show great hands to keep possession with tricky passes, and they're just a metre out! Enari finds Tavatavanawai and he's over! Moana Pasifika hit right back!
36min - Moana Pasifika looking to hit back straight away, playing with real intensity and are quickly into the 22m. Crusaders manning up well on defence though.
34min - CRUSADERS TRY - TAYLOR
Kellow returns to the field as the Crusaders win the lineout just 5 metres out. They look march their maul forward and Taylor crashes over for his second!
32min - Crusaders playing with an advantage, as McLeod commits several defenders, before Springer shows tidy feet to step his way through a couple. We'll come back for the penalty.
30min - Moana Pasifika try a set-piece move from the halfway scrum and find space down the right and Aumua almost breaks another tackle. He's been a real handful.
28min - Crusaders not making a ton of metres, so Mo'unga decides to kick and Moana Pasifika gather it easily before being awarded the ruck penalty.
26min - MOANA PASIFIKA TRY - AUMUA
Aumua has a double! Tavatvanawai again right in the thick of it, as he commits several players, before a clever offload to Aumua and he powers over for the go-ahead score!
24min - Tavatvanawai finds a hole! He links up with Motunga, who is just dragged down by Kellow metres out from the tryline, and the Crusaders flanker is shown yellow for not releasing!
22min - MOANA PASIFIKA TRY - AUMUA
Moana Pasifika get the ball back from the scrum, Aumua receives, changes angle to the inside and beats about four defenders to go over for the try! Too strong!
20min - Aumua is in space and he's away! He links up with Tavatvanawai but the return pass sees Aumua bundled into touch just a couple of metres out from the tryline.
18min - Moana Pasifika with their longest possession, putting it through the hands nicely but Havili's audacious offload can't be brought in by his teammate. Nice idea.
16min - Gardiner makes a huge tackle on Havili to force Moana Pasifika back, but the Crusaders are penalised for not rolling away. Goodhue has left the field for an HIA.
14min - Kellow getting amongst it early, taking another possession into heavy contact, before Drummond clears from the ruck and finds touch around halfway.
12min - CRUSADERS TRY - TAYLOR
Mo'unga shows sensational feet to beat a couple of players, and he's away down the left! He's got several support runners on the inside and sends Taylor over for the first try.
10min - Moana Pasifika look to get their way out of trouble by running it out on their own 22m, and do so successfully before clearing long, only for the Crusaders to return.
8min - Drummond finds half a gap, as the Crusaders spot space down the short side but the kick ahead is read well by Havili and takes the mark to defuse the danger.
6min - Crusaders rush defence causing Moana Pasifika problems, forcing the box kick and Mo'unga gets up to win the ball back for the Crusaders, before Burke clears.
4min - McLeod tries to link up with Kellow but he wasn't expecting it. Won't matter, as the referee calls them back for an earlier offside penalty. Mo'unga slots the easy three.
2min - Havili gets us underway with the kickoff. Crusaders gather it cleanly, but Moody knocks in with his first carry. Moana get the attacking scrum on the 22m but concede the penalty.
7pm - Thank you for joining us! On paper this looks to be a huge mis-match, but Moana Pasifika have been unlucky in their bid for their first win. It doesn't get any easier tonight, however.
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Kia ora, good evening, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Crusaders and Moana Pasifika at Christchurch.
The defending champions are seeking their fourth straight win to cement their spot in the top four before their bye week.
Hooker Codie Taylor will captain the Crusaders in All Blacks lock Scott Barrett's absence, but they welcome the return of midfielder Jack Goodhue.
It will also be a special night for first-five Richie Mo'unga, who will become the 23rd Crusader to reach 100 games for the franchise.
Meanwhile, the visitors are still chasing their first win of the season, after back-to-back heavy defeats to Kiwi opposition.
They need look no further than their Pacific Island brothers Fijian Drua for inspiration, after their shock upset win over the Crusaders a month ago.
Join us at 7pm for kickoff.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tamaiti Williams, 4-Quinten Strange, 5-Dom Gardiner, 6-Sione Talitui, 7-Corey Kellow, 8-Christian Lio-Willie, 9-Mitchell Drummond, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Macca Springer, 12-Dallas McLeod, 13-Jack Goodhue 14-Will Gualter, 15-Fergus Burke
Reserves: 16-Brodie McAlister, 17-Finlay Brewis, 18-Seb Calder, 19-Jamie Hannah, 20-Tom Christie, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-David Havili, 23-Melani Nanai
Moana Pasifika: 1-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2-Samiuela Moli, 3-Joe 'Apikotoa, 4-Michael Curry, 5-Samuel Slade, 6-Miracle Faiilagi, 7-Alamanda Motuga, 8-Solomone Funaki (c), 9-Ereatara Enari, 10-Lincoln McClutchie, 11-Neria Fomai, 12-Danny Toala, 13-Levi Aumua, 14-Timoci Tavatvanawai, 15-William Havili
Reserves: 16-Luteru Tolai, 17-Abraham Pole, 18-Isi Tu'ungafasi, 19-Mike McKee, 20-Jonah Mau'u, 21-Manu Paea, 22-D'Angelo Leuila, 23-Fine Inisi
TAB odds: Crusaders $1.01, Moana Pasifika $15, draw $41
